Bloxom Family Feels Peace as Cab Used in Son’s Murder Is Destroyed

On this, the sixth anniversary of Justin Bloxom's abduction and murder, the taxi driven by Brian Horn is finally destroyed.

It was an emotional and powerful occasion. As a light drizzle fell, friends and family of Amy Fletcher, Justin's mother, watched as a claw crane picked up the green Action Taxi, slammed it to the ground, ripped chunks off of it, and tossed them all over the muddy ground.

It is what many people probably would have liked to have done to Horn for what he had done to Justin.

I asked Amy's niece, Amber Patton, if it felt final for her.

"It won't feel final until he's [Horn's] gone," she said. "But it does feel good. It feels like we've come a long way."

Amy was feeling a mix of emotions as she watched the last thing that caused her flashbacks of that painful time be ripped to shreds.

"I know Justin right now is smiling from Heaven, as much as I am...that reminder of his death is gone now," she said. "Knowing that that's been sitting there for the last six years, and it's finally just shredded into pieces, it's just a peaceful and easy feeling."

Amy let us know that the car being destroyed is only the beginning. Within the next year, there will be no more Action Taxi, no more of those green cabs roaming all over Shreveport-Bossier. No more reminders of the horrid crime one of them played a part in. And there will be more changes in the future.

"We're going to continue trying to pass laws in other states for Justin. Everything we do is in his honor," Amy said. "Today is not a day to hurt, today is a day to celebrate his life. Celebrate it for him. No pain."

Of course, the pain is still there...for all of us who were around when the whole horrible situation happened. It's something that will never leave us. But for Amy Fletcher and her family...seeing that car being demolished is a step in the right direction.

"It tore apart a lot of the things that hurt Justin. And that car was one of those things that hurt Justin. The other thing that hurt him sits where he belongs now. He'll wait his turn."